Langley residents in need of end-of-life care will soon have increased options for community hospice closer to home as construction of the new 15-room hospice completes.
“With the opening of the new hospice in Langley, patients in the end stages of their lives and their families will be supported in a specialized, home-like environment designed to support each person’s unique needs,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “We acknowledge and appreciate our ongoing partnerships with the Langley Hospice Society, BC Housing, the BC Centre for Palliative Care, the Township of Langley and Fraser Health. Their contributions to the development of this specialized service will help ensure that people requiring hospice care are supported in a peaceful, compassionate setting, surrounded by those they love.”
The hospice, located at 22008, 52nd Ave., will include specialized care spaces and private rooms with outdoor access. Families will have quiet areas to support their loved ones' needs, such as a spiritual wellness space, kitchen, laundry and bathroom. The new residence will also include the community’s first bariatric room.
Dedicated and specially trained staff from Fraser Health will provide clinical care and services. Emotional and practical support for patients and families will also be provided by Fraser Health staff, together with Langley Hospice staff and volunteers.
The Province, through Fraser Health and BC Housing, is providing $5 million toward the hospice. The Langley Hospice Society is providing approximately $4 million through community support and donations. The Province, working through the BC Centre for Palliative Care, provided $900,000, and the Township of Langley is also providing approximately $219,000 as a grant to offset municipal charges. Fraser Health will provide operational funding.
The residence will replace the 10 hospice beds at Langley Memorial Hospital campus. The current hospice space will be repurposed to support the health service needs in Langley.
The hospice will open on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
Quotes:
Megan Dykeman, MLA for Langley East –
“The Langley Hospice plays such an important role in our community, providing a compassionate environment for those needing hospice care or coping with grief. This is truly the house the community built and I’m thrilled to see the new hospice at substantial completion.”
Andrew Mercier, MLA for Langley –
“The new Langley hospice residence will meet each patient’s needs, while also supporting their loved ones to help make their time together as peaceful as possible.”
Laurie Leith, vice-president of regional hospitals and health services, Fraser Health –
“Hospice care is about providing tailored services in an environment that feels as much like home as possible, and, by focusing on comfort and their physical, emotional, and spiritual health, we can support our patients and their families to live each day as fully as possible. Thank you to the Langley Hospice Society, BC Housing, the BC Centre for Palliative Care, the Township of Langley, the provincial government and our staff and medical staff for your commitment and compassion to this project to see us at this milestone opening today.”
Kathy Derksen, board president, Langley Hospice Society –
“The completion of the new 15-bed Langley hospice residence realizes a long-term goal of the Langley Hospice Society board, staff, volunteers and donors. The end-of-life journey is not just about dying, it’s about living well, right to the end. The hospice philosophy speaks to the importance of a home-like environment to ensure support for individuals and their families and friends as they face this final journey. Langley Hospice Society is incredibly grateful for the caring and compassionate community we are a part of, that have helped us make this new hospice residence a reality.”
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